If Rangers can replicate the performance they produced against Tottenham Hotspur in the Europa League, a Celtic victory in Sunday’s Scottish League Cup final will be far from a foregone conclusion.
Heading to Hampden Park on their best run of form this season, Philippe Clement’s team have hit their stride at the perfect time.
And while Rangers’ revival may come too late to rescue their Premiership campaign – there is an 11 point gap between themselves and their Old Firm rivals – the boys in blue will pursue 2024/25’s first piece of silverware with a renewed sense of self-confidence.
Few players epitomise this turnaround, meanwhile, better than Nicolas Raskin.
At the start of October, Kris Boyd labelled Raskin ‘a pale shadow’ of the midfielder who made such an impressive start to life at Ibrox when joining from Standard Liege. After so long on the sidelines with injury, and with his early performances back in Clement’s side less than impressive, was Raskin’s Rangers career destined to grind to an unsatisfying halt?
Well, clearly not. Raskin has released the handbrake, slammed his foot onto the accelerator, and is rapidly motoring towards talisman status.
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Kris Boyd raves about Nico Raskin as Rangers prepare Celtic clash
Nico Raskin was outstanding as Rangers outplayed Tottenham Hotspur on Thursday night.
With another tenacious, tireless performance, the former Belgium Under 21 international climbed up to second in the list of the Europa League’s most effective ball-winning midfielders. He averages four successful tackles per game in Europe.
That aggression out of possession will come in very handy at Hampden too, if Rangers are to knock Celtic out of their rhythm.
“The work they put in against Spurs was unbelievable,” Boyd now tells the Scottish Sun, pulling a 180 on his assessment of Rangers’ number 43. “Nico Raskin covered so much ground and you argue it was his best performance for Rangers.
“But the life of an Ibrox player means you have to pick yourself up again and give even more when tomorrow comes round.
“Clement’s men deserve all the plaudits that have come their way after Thursday, but it means nothing if you don’t back it up against Celtic.”
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Philippe Clement says Raskin is ‘taking really big steps’ forward
Philippe Clement puts Raskin’s form down to a change in his diet.
The man himself feels lighter and quicker after shedding a few kilograms, allowing him to nick in and claim the sort of loose balls he might have narrowly missed out on a few months prior.
“The biggest difference with Nico is that, physically, he’s taking really good steps,” Clement told reporters after that Spurs draw. “He spoke himself about the diet. That’s also a thing the club is helping with. So the chef in the club helps Nico with his food.”
With Raskin almost certain to start, Clement must choose between Barron and Mo Diomande against Celtic. Diomande is also an option to feature in the number ten role, although Danilo, Ianis Hagi and Nedim Bajrami will fancy their chances too.
“Nico, tactically, is taking really big steps about what to do in which moment,” Clement adds. “And he’s still a young player. He didn’t play this role so much, and for sure not at this level.
“But he’s taking really good lessons and all staff are helping in that way; after every game, showing images of what was good, what can be better…
“Football is a game with a lot of details that you need to take control of. And Nico is learning really fast. Same as with Dio, same as with Conor Barron. All young midfielders, all exciting talents.
“The midfield, it’s the engine of the team. It’s important to do the right things, at the right moments, and controlling the games really well. To take out transitions, to have good positioning, but also to be available and knowing where to play, where to play the balls.
“So, yeah, I’m really happy with the evolution of Nico, but not only him.”
